Workforce WindsorEssex Launches New Career Discovery Tool

Tool will assist parents and educators with career exploration at home and in classroom

For Immediate Release
November 7, 2019

Windsor, ON – At the Build a Dream event in front of 1,000 parents and daughters, Workforce WindsorEssex, the region’s Local Employment Planning Council (LEPC), launched a new career counselling tool called WEnav Careers.

WEnav Careers will help jobseekers, students, newcomers, and youth find a career path that aligns with their individual skills and qualifications, while increasing their knowledge about the local workforce opportunities. The no-charge tool, which is available in English and French, can be accessed by parents at home, by educators in the classroom, or individually. WEnav Careers presents a series of modules that can be completed, with each module containing one or more activities and links to additional third-party resources. Each activity is offered in a PDF and Word document, allowing for modification by the instructor/parent, and also provides a time estimate for completing the activity.

The WEnav Careers program is customized for six key audiences:

WEnav for Jobseekers: A comprehensive list of resources for searching for jobs within Windsor-Essex. These resources are designed to help jobseekers explore volunteer and paid experiences.

WEnav for Newcomers: Resources to aid in job searching within Windsor-Essex. These resources are designed to help newcomers learn about the local labour market and align their past education and work experiences with career opportunities in Windsor-Essex.

WEnav for Parents: Resources created for parents to complete with their child to explore what kind of interests align with career opportunities within the area of Windsor-Essex.

WEnav for Youth: Resources created for youth to complete independently to explore which of their interests align with career opportunities within Windsor-Essex. Through the use of self-reflection and labour market research, youth will gain valuable insight in connecting to upcoming jobs within the area.

WEnav for Teachers: Resources teachers can use to engage and immerse students in the field of local labour market information. In order for students to make informed decisions about their career path after graduation, it is important for students to be well-versed with local tools for exploring promising occupations and sectors.

WEnav for Employers: Resources for companies looking to participate in the career exploration of students and jobseekers within Windsor-Essex and provides information on how experiential learning can be supported by local employers and how to get involved.

The WEnav Careers program was designed with special attention to the standards contained in the Grade 7 and 8 Ontario Curriculum Social Studies, History, and Geography Curriculum (2018) for career/life planning programs and Grade 10 Ontario Careers Curriculum (2019).

WEnav Careers can be accessed at www.workforcewindsoressex.com/wenav.

 

QUOTES:

“Workforce WindsorEssex is pleased to launch the WEnav Careers program for use in the home or in the classroom. Jobseekers, students, newcomers, and youth will be able to utilize our resources to identify relevant career paths. Students and parents will be better equipped to promote experiential learning and counsel their students/children toward future careers. We know tomorrow’s career opportunities can feel limited and infinite at the same time, which is why a tool like WEnav Careers is so important.”

Michelle Suchiu, Executive Director, Workforce WindsorEssex

“The WEnav Careers program, which is designed with the Government of Ontario’s Curriculum in mind, is a practical resource for those looking for work and education in Windsor-Essex. This is a great way to align a user’s skills and qualifications with a career path.”

Tashlyn Teskey, Manager of Projects & Research, Workforce WindsorEssex

 

QUICK FACTS:

• The WEnav Careers program includes 68 worksheets and a total of 7 presentations.
• In 2019, Workforce WindsorEssex has already conducted 64 presentations at 16 schools and at 12 employment service organizations.
• WEnav Careers was designed under the intention of Benjamin Bloom’s Taxonomy and under the Grade 7 and 8 Ontario Social Studies/History/ Geography Curriculum (2018) for career/life planning programs:
“The goals of the Kindergarten to Grade 12 education and career/life planning program are to:

    • ensure that all students develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed education and career/life choices;
    • provide classroom and school-wide opportunities for this learning; and
    • engage parents and the broader community in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the program, to support students in their learning.”

(p.56, The Ontario Curriculum, Social Studies grades 1-6 and History and Geography grades 7 & 8).
• WEnav Careers also aligns with the Grade 9-12 career studies and guidance curriculum. Specifically, WEnav Careers connects to the following grades through addressing the objectives under each strand per grade respectively:

    • Grade 9: Interpersonal Knowledge and Skills (p. 29-30)
      This section refers to how students utilize interpersonal and teamwork skills in order to make valuable impacts on their community.
    • Grade 10: Exploring and Preparing for the World of Work (p. 15-16)
      This section looks at how students can identify career trends both locally and globally so they can make an informed career path for after high school.
    • Grade 11: Personal Knowledge and Management Skills (p.26-28)
      Students have the opportunity to reflect on their own strengths and interests in order to map out an effective strategy to achieving their ideal career path.
    • Grade 12: Personal Management Skills (p. 43-44)
      Students will examine the impact of their achievements in relation to how they can self-improve toward goals in different settings.

 

QUICK LINKS:

• Workforce WindsorEssex’s WEnav Careers program is available online in both English and French: WEnav Careers program.

• To learn more about the Local Employment Planning Council and view our current and past projects visit www.workforcewindsoressex.com/lepc.

 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Justin Falconer
Senior Director
Workforce WindsorEssex
(519) 980-5826
jfalconer@workforcewindsoressex.com

 

About Workforce WindsorEssex

Workforce WindsorEssex is a workforce and community development board that creates labour market tools, research, guides, and events that benefit jobseekers, employers, students, educators, and the community. Founded 10 years ago by the City of Windsor, County of Essex, WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation, and the Province of Ontario, our mandate is to plan, facilitate, and advocate for regional workforce development, defined as the development, retention, and recruitment of a wide range of skilled workers to meet the current and future economic and social development needs of Windsor-Essex.
Workforce WindsorEssex currently receives funding under four projects: Windsor Essex Local Immigration Partnership, Local Employment Planning Council, WEskills, and WE Value. Learn more at www.workforcewindsoressex.com.

About the Local Employment Planning Council Project

The Local Employment Planning Council (LEPC) is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario. The LEPC pilot aims to increase the access to accurate, up to date, local labour market information and help pioneer new and innovative approaches to local employment planning.

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